Riding for Research: Meet C2C4C Rider Kyle Downs
Kyle Downs holds many important roles in life: father, husband, brother, Coast Guard Reserve Officer, Bristol Myers Squibb employee, and more. In September 2024, he will add an exciting new title to that list: Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer rider, as he participates in the annual cross-country cycling event hosted by Bristol Myers Squibb to benefit lifesaving cancer research through the V Foundation. The 27-day ride covers nearly 3,000 miles from Oregon to New Jersey and is divided into nine segments.
Participating in the ride is no easy feat: riders train and fundraise for more than five months, attend multiple safety clinics, and each person commits to riding approximately 225 miles during their three-day segment. Kyle will be riding in the final segment with “Team Cure-ageous,” kicking off in Pittsburgh, Pa., and reaching the coastline in Long Branch, N.J.
“I chose to do this because it’s going to make lives better,” said Kyle. “It’s not easy, but it’s very rewarding. Saying ‘yes’ to something like this is very powerful.”
For Kyle, saying ‘yes’ is also a way to honor his younger brother, Corey, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in fall of 2022. Corey was in his early 30s at that time and began feeling consistently fatigued and unwell. A trip to the emergency room revealed a large mass in his chest, and subsequently, a cancer diagnosis.
After several months of treatment, new scans revealed that the mass had shrunk significantly, and the treatment was deemed a success.
Kyle recalls how family, friends and community rallied around Corey during this time, but also the critical role that advancements in science played in Corey’s journey. “It was tough going through that, seeing your brother be diagnosed with something so serious,” said Kyle. “But with the cancer treatments available now, they were able to identify a treatment plan, get him through it and healthy, and now he’s a survivor.”
Kyle, Corey, and Tyson Downs at the Masters Tournament
In spring of 2024, Corey was selected in the ticket lottery for the Masters Tournament, and Corey, Kyle, and their brother, Tyson, attended together. This was a special milestone for the family, as it was Corey’s first trip post-treatment, and an exciting step in returning to life before cancer.
As Kyle continues training and fundraising for C2C4C, even in the brutal summer heat, he knows the physical and mental hurdles are only temporary, and his efforts will have a long-lasting impact for patients like Corey and so many others who need treatment to beat this disease.
“We need people out here helping to raise money so we can get further treatments. Unfortunately, it’s just not an easy task and it takes a lot of funding,” said Kyle. “The difficult training I’m going through is just an inconvenience to me at that time, but what we’re battling overall can save someone’s life.”
Throughout this experience, Kyle, who is based in Apex, N.C., just down the road from the V Foundation headquarters, has been able to share the foundation’s mission and the impact Jim Valvano had on the future of cancer research. “If you haven’t seen the Jim Valvano speech, get out there and listen to his speech. Let it motivate you and inspire you. It’s good for the soul.”
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